How can computers help my child?

These days you can find a wide range of computer-based resources for learning, but as with books and television programs, it takes time and effort to find ones that are good quality and suitable for your child.

As well as CD-ROMs, there are many free websites offering games and activities for children, ranging from nursery rhymes and songs to games and educational resources to help children with reading, math and science.

One of them main advantages of computer-based activities over TV is that they’re interactive and can aid the development of a number of key skills, such as manual dexterity, conceptual skills, problem-solving and memory-building. Nevertheless, this medium, like any other, is only as good or as useful as the material on it.

When is it right to start my child on a computer?

Many experts recommend that children under three years old shouldn’t use computers at all because at this age young children learn more effectively in other ways, generally through physical interaction with their surroundings – that is, through what they can see, touch, taste, smell and manipulate. Many of the skills young children need to develop, such as walking, communicating and making friends, aren’t best served by sitting in front of a computer screen. In fact the best way for children to learn is through play itself, whether it’s imaginative, creative or problem solving.

It’s also the case that small children don’t have the attention span necessary to concentrate on a computer screen, and may not have the skills necessary to press keys and manipulate a computer mouse. This means they can become bored if they have to rely on mom or dad to do all the interesting bits. They could potentially lose interest in the computer, and you may have a hard time rekindling that interest later on.

How do I start my child on a computer?

If your child is starting to show an interest in the computer, for example watching you as you send emails or surf the net, or trying to press the keys himself, then you might want to consider sitting him on your lap and looking at a few sites designed for young children. Avoid anything with confusing, fast-moving graphics and images and loud music – these will be overwhelming for your child. Good quality sites that have been developed for small children have a small number of simple images, simple, unobtrusive music and large images or icons which can be easily selected by little hands.

Once your child is three or over, he’s developmentally ready to start using a computer and it can be a useful learning support tool for this age group. Give him plenty of time to try it out and master the necessary skills, such as pressing keys, using cursor arrows and manipulating the mouse. Your child will love the experience of clicking on an image or icon and seeing what pops up next on the screen! Look for websites or software with child-accessible activities that rely more on icons than text – if your child can navigate the game or activity himself, without any help from you, he’ll be more motivated to explore further.

Keep in mind that once your child is using a computer he can accidentally stumble across websites you may not want him to see. Investigate the parental controls on your computer to limit the types of website that come up in general searches, and bookmark your child’s favorite websites so he can access them without having to search. Keep your family computer in an area where you can constantly monitor what your child is viewing.

Go to our educational chat section to ask other parents how they found a computer helped their child.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.